Cal vs Irene
by RufusratlovesAM
Summary: Part 2 of a series with luvmyangelofmusic. Cal is asked to help out a local cop convince Adler to give up the location of missing jewellery. Rating to be safe regarding later disagreements.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: Okay, this is my first fic so please be nice. I am working with luvmyangelofmusic to write this series, but each story is a stand-alone. For the other 'Cal vs …' stories just look at 'Lie to Me' crossovers (there is only 1 now, but more on the way). This chapter is just an intro to the story so I promise the next chapters will be longer and have more substance. Please review. I value constructive criticism and compliments. Thanks and enjoy**

'_So Miss Adler, did you steal jewellery from this woman?'_

Miss Adler was a professional thief. It had taken the police over a year to find Irene and there was still no hard evidence to convict her, despite over 3 million dollars worth of jewellery disappearing. Every one of the dozen people who had been working the case was convinced that Adler was guilty yet none of them could prove it. They needed a confession or at the very least a miracle. Adler was not a suspected terrorist so they had 24 hours to hold her without evidence; it had already been 8 hours and the head of the team was getting worried.

One of the youngsters whose name he couldn't be bothered remembering decided to approach his captain. Normally the man wouldn't pay a second thought to the kid, he was small, weedy and lacked confidence but today the captain was desperate for anything that would convict Adler.

10 minutes later the captain put down the phone and smiled. Maybe they would be able to corner Adler after all.


	2. Chapter 2

'_This is the Lightman Group, how may we help you?'_

After receiving a very interesting phone call from a police station in Austin, Texas, Cal had decided to help out. Both Cal and Forster had wanted to go to Texas, although for very different reasons. Cal wanted to boost his reputation after the failure of his last 'big-job' with the self-named 'Phantom Of The Opera' and Forster was desperate for anything, which would bring more financial support for the group.

Arriving in Austin, Cal and Forster were rushed to the police station in question. There were only 12 hours left until Adler had to be released and no one wanted to waste time. Ignoring the information being given to him, Cal walked straight towards the man whom he assumed was the captain.

'_Where's the bird?'_

Forster pushed past and attempted to rescue the situation. Cal hadn't done anything overly provocative yet although from her preliminary judgement of the captain and her experience with Cal, it was just a matter of time before their personalities clashed and that would be disastrous for the company.

Cal and Forster were directed to the station's only interrogation room. It was a small replica of almost every other similarly purposed room in the country; grey, cold and containing a desk (fastened to the ground) and two chairs (one on each side of the table). One of these chairs was occupied.

_Good afternoon sir.'_

The occupant was a woman whom Cal assumed to be in her early to mid 30's. She was wearing a loud but somehow tasteful blend of red and black with a large faux flower pinning back long brown hair. Both he and Forster came to the same conclusion almost instantly. This woman had to be innocent. Barely a millisecond later, as soon as they realised what they had been thinking, the face-reading specialists came to a second, slightly more accurate conclusion. This woman was dangerous and manipulative. Forster took a seat on the chair while Cal stepped in behind her. She had told Cal prior to them entering that this was so that she could be physically between her hot tempered boss and part-time lover and the woman in the chair; although this may have been useful, really Forster just wanted to be comfortable while watching the show.


	3. Chapter 3

'So Miss Adler, you have no idea where this jewellery came from?'

'I know how I got it and I presume it originally came from a mine or two but I know nothing of its life between those times.'

Cal's frustration was growing. Adler really did know what she was doing. In a way it was a refreshing change to be confronted with someone who it would be difficult to trick into confessing but given his current location, Cal wanted nothing more than to be done with Adler and this whole case ASAP.

'Have you noticed Foster that she keeps answering my questions literally to avoid actually saying anything?'

'Hmm… it's a classic technique. You really are very good at it Miss Adler'

'Not perfect though. You've slipped up.'

Irene's face remained under control although both her questioners noticed a quick flash of realisation in her eyes.

'You told us something very important there. You know how the jewellery came to you. How exactly was that?'

Irene looked ready to ignore the question or spin some kind of tale so Foster butted in with an obvious reminder of the situation.

'Miss Adler. We are professionals; if you lie, we will know.'

She sighed and began to talk.

'I was playing poker with some friends and one of them decided to raise the stakes and add the necklace. Someone watching liked my style and gave me a pair of matching earrings a few weeks later; the ones in that photo.'

'Not tat I believe a word you just said; mainly because from what I've seen you've got a terrible poker face…' began Cal, lying through his teeth, 'but, if this story of yours was true, what would the name of your blind admirer be?'

Irene smiled serenely, instantly raising Cal's blood pressure.

'That would be telling Mr Lightman. I won't give you the name, but it was a gentleman, rich, but too old for me. And that's why he isn't banging on the door right now.'

Foster put her hands behind her back pretending to stretch. Lightman understood immediately and picking up his file, he turned to leave, retrieving his recently pilfered watch from Irene's had before he did so. Foster followed barely a second later. The two compared notes before Cal delivered his opinion to the plice captain.

'We both came to the same conclusion, which is good; but you're not going to like it.'

'Really… and I've simply loved having a pompous idiot bossing me and my staff around in _my _office?'

'I don't like the term pompous, or your tone. You're the one who asked for our help!' Cal rose to the captain's bait immediately.

Foster jumped between the two egos before they could start brawling.

'Boys! Either we can continue the pissing match or we can get Adler convicted. What we think is…'

'She only told one lie in there.'

This got the captain intrigued and he had to interrupt, voicing his suspicions.

'Which was that the earrings were a gift?'

'Which was that she wouldn't tell us who gave them.'


End file.
